may the nourishment of the earth be yours (erin jean warde)
"May the nourishment of the earth be yours." -John O'Donohue
inspiration
“A Blessing for the New Year”
On the day when
The weight deadens
On your shoulders
And you stumble,
May the clay dance
To balance you.And when your eyes
Freeze behind
The grey window
And the ghost of loss
Gets in to you,
May a flock of colours,
Indigo, red, green,
And azure blue,
Come to awaken in you
A meadow of delight.When the canvas frays
In the currach of thought
And a stain of ocean
Blackens beneath you,
May there come across the waters
A path of yellow moonlight
To bring you safely home.May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
May the clarity of light be yours,
May the fluency of the ocean be yours,
May the protection of the ancestors be yours.And so may a slow
Wind work these words
Of love around you,
An invisible cloak
To mind your life.—John O’Donohue, from To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings
This is our last piece from John O’Donohue, shared a little early given the content, as I will be out of the office until January. However, aren’t we always starting a new year in so many ways?
So for the last piece of this series, I recommend picking one line to illuminate how you plan to move into the newness of 2023. Let it be a guide to you in the sometimes chaotic and hectic weeks that surround the holidays.
My guide into 2023 will be: May the nourishment of the earth be yours.
What one line prayer will you pray as you move into 2023? Share below if you’d like.
With love & care,
EJW
Join me and my friend The Rev. Arianne Rice January 19 at 6:30pm EST/5:30pm CST for How We Cope: Resolutions in Dry January, a virtual event hosted by Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd-Baltimore!
Join this workshop to explore coping skills, removing shame from how we cope, stories of sober discernment, and spiritual practices to support you as you hold the question: How do I want to be in relationship with alcohol? This workshop is for anyone who is sober curious, or who hopes to explore changing how they cope. Both Arianne and Erin are trained as Certified Daring Way Facilitators, so the whole of this work is defined by reducing shame and embracing wholeheartedness. This event is free, with the opportunity to make an optional donation to Erin Jean Warde via Venmo (@erinjeanwarde). Set aside this time as an opportunity to care for yourself in the comfort of your home.
Register in advance for this event using this link!
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. We hope to see you there!
Feeling Beings Who Think Podcast
Also, enjoy my conversation with Arianne Rice on her podcast! Listen here.
My conversation today is with Erin Jean Warde, Episcopal priest, spiritual director, recovery coach, and author of the soon-to-be-released, “Sober Spirituality.” Erin and I talk about what supports us and what gets in the way of being awake to our lives. We talk about binaries, those dualistic, either/or mindsets that keep us stuck! Stuck when we want to look at our spiritual practices, or when we are scared by the feeling that we want, and don't want, to think about our relationship with alcohol. With compassion, humor, and storytelling Erin offers empathy and support for people seeking mind, body, and soul healing.
pre-order my book
Get my book — it comes out April 2023! 🤩
Remember: pre-ordering with Baker Bookhouse means you get Sober Spirituality for 40% off with free shipping <3
speaking
Looking for a speaker or retreat leader?
Want me to speak (& preach, if that’s your thing!) on Sober Spirituality in the Spring?
Doing a Lent program on care for the mind, body, and soul?
If so, I would love to come spend time with your community!
book club
Starting in January, we will be reading Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. This is a book I keep trying to read, because I know I need it, and one I trust we will gather wisdom from together. After How to Do Nothing I have a desire to more deeply dig into nature, which I know Braiding Sweetgrass will provide. I hope you’ll join me as I become even more enraptured with the beauty of God’s creation.
Here’s the reading schedule in pages, by the week:
Week of…
January 9 — 1-32
January 16 — 33-59
January 23 — 60-97
January 30 — 98-117
February 6 — 118-155
February 13 — 156-201
February 20 — 202-240
February 27 — 241-276
March 6 — 277-300
March 13 —301-347
March 20 — 348-384
I hope you’re able to join us for the journey! Book Club is available for paid subscribers, for only $7/month. <3
out of the office
I will send our healing moment & paid reflections this week, then I am out of the office, to return the week of January 9th. Please know I am praying for you and wishing you a beautiful holiday season!